Gas water heater



June 2, 1959. s. HlTHoMPsoN 2,888,911

v@.As WATER HEATER Filed April 13, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 1 June '2, 1959 Filed April 15, 1954 S. H. THOMPSON GAS WATER HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SEV/wou@ H QMpso/v,

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2,888,911 GAS WATER HEATER Seymour H. Thompson, Pacoima, Calif., assgnor to Continental Water Heater Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application April 13, 1954, Serial No. 422,754 Claims. (Cl. 122-156) This invention relates to gas water heaters.

Water heaters are often installed in homes where space is at a premium. In some installations, it is necessary or desirable to place the heater in the kitchen. Water heaters suihciently compact to be inserted beneath a kitchen cabinet have been provided. In some instances, the heater is so formed as to provide a working surface that may be contiguous with the kitchen drainboard. The present invention is most advantageously embodied in a water heater of this type.

It is one of the objects of this invention to make it possible to incorporate the heater top in the kitchen cabinet structure, and yet ensure that the heater will be safe in operation.

To avoid an unsightly appearance, the heater is vented by conduits enclosed within the walls of the structure, the heater being provided with a iiue pipe opening rearwardly of the heater.

To ensure proper operation of the gas burner, a downdraft diverter must be provided. The requirements of a downdraft diverter, coupled with the fact that the rear of .the heater is relatively inaccessible, heretofore have sacriced the desirable placement of the heater against a wall.

It is the primary object of this invention to make it possible to place a water heater of this character directly against the wall of the structure in which it is installed, yet making use of a rear opening flue pipe. This is accomplished in part by providing a novel heater structure that includes a self-contained downdraft diverter, the rear opening flue pipe being directly connectible with the vent. Also to make this result possible, a novel, automatically sealing coupling is provided that forms a part of the heater structure. This makes it possible to elect a tight coupling simply by movement of the heater against the wall.

It is another object of this invention to provide a compact gas water heater of this character that is easily installed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel, automatically sealing pipe coupling between the llue and the vent permitting substantial deviation from true alignment between the pipes to be coupled, thereby avoiding close dimensional tolerances.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a gas water heater of this character so constructed that the top of the heater cabinet is thermally insulated from the boiler and ilue pipes. In this manner it is possible t0 make the top of the cabinet of wood, such as to form a carving block, without danger of warping. This is made possible by the novel arrangement of flue pipes for the boiler, the flue pipes being located within the boiler and spaced substantially from the top thereof.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several embodiments of the invention. For this purpose there are shown a few forms in the drawings `accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles ot' the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a water heater incorporating the present invention, the water heater being shown installed between cabinet structures, the cabinet structures being shown in phantom lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the water heater and wall vent structure; v

Fig. 3 is a sectional View, taken along the plane indicated byline 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing a modified form of the present invention, in which a wooden carving block, or the like, forms the top of the water heater structure; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the structure carried by the flue pipe of the heater for establishing a sealing connection with a vent pipe.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a water heater having a generally box-like cabinet 10, the walls of which may be of sheet metal. A removable cabinet top 11, also of sheet metal, forms a working surface which, in this instance, is contiguous with the surface 12 of kitchen cabinets or the like.

Referring to Fig. 2, the cabinet 10 has a rear wall 13 adapted to be placed against a wall 14. The front Wall of the cabinet 10 comprises upper and lower panels l5 and 16. The cabinet has a lower wall 17, in this instance formed to provide a toe space. The exposed wall surfaces of the heater may be appropriately enameled or otherwise appropriately treated.

A boiler 19 of general domed cylindrical configuration is accommodated within the cabinet 10 and is supported upon the bottom wall 17 of the cabinet 10 by the aid of feet 20. A layer of insulation material, such as Fiberglas 21 substantially completely surrounds the boiler 19.

Water inlet and outlet conduits are provided for the boiler, the inlet conduit 22 projecting to the bottom of the boiler 19. Both boiler conduits passthrough the upper wall of the boiler 19 for appropriate connection to supply conduits 23 and 24 extending in the space between the top wall of the boiler 19 and the top panel 11 of the cabinet 10. Elbows or suitable fittings 25 are provided for this purpose.

In the present instance, the supply conduits 23 and 24 connect with lines 27 and 28 extending upwardly through the iioor 18 near the wall structure 14. In order to facilitate installation and to make it possible for the water heater to be placed against the wall 14, the rear wall 13 of the cabinet 10 has two symmetrically disposed, vertically extending inwardly oifset portions 29 and 30, to provide channels. The pipes 27 and 28 extend in these channels when the heater is placed against the wall 14.

The offset portions 29 and 30 terminate just short of the top of the rear wall 13 to form openings 29a (Fig. 4), providing access to the space within the cabinet 1li. The upper ends of the pipes 27 and 28 are located at these openings. Accordingly, appropriate connections can be made to the conduits 27 and 2S when the top 11 is removed.

Optionally pipes may project horizontally from the wall 14. These pipes may project through the openings 29a in the rear wall 13 of the cabinet 10 for connection to the supply lines 23 and 24. In this instance, the offset portions 29 and 30 are not used.

Access is provided for making these connections to the lines by removing the cabinet top 11.

The rear of the top 11 rests upon an angle brace 70 extending across the back top edge of the cabinet.A

Fingers '71, secured to the top, engage beneath the angle the toip 11, enter recesses 74 formed in a cross frame Patented `Finne 2, 1959 element 75 of the cabinet 19 that extends between the sides of the cabinet 10. The top 11 is removed by raising its forward end until the pin 72 ciears the element 7S. The top is then moved outwardly until the fingers 71 clear the brace 70. The top 11 is positioned by performing these operations in reverse.

Substantially entirely enclosed within the boiler 19 is a tire box 31 accommodating a gas burner 32. Air is fed to the re box 31 for combustion of the gaseous fuel through a conduit (not shown) opening behind the lower front panel 16.

In order to preserve a pleasing, compact appearance, the products of combustion from the fire box 31 are conducted to a vent 33 within the wall 14. The vent 33 has an end or a T extension 34 projecting through an aperture 35 in the wall 14. TheV extension 34 is so located that it may cooperate with the end of a horizontally oriented ue pipe 36 of the heater.

The ue pipe V36 in .this instance is of two-part construction, comprising pipeelements 37 and 38. connected together and extending.V transversely through opposite walls of the boiler beneath the top thereof. The element 37 projects through that wall of the boiler 19 near the rear of the cabinet 10, and projects slightly beyond an enlarged aperture 39 of the rear wall 13. The other pipe element 38, which is of larger size, projects through the opposite boiler wall near the front of the cabinet 10. The elements 37 and 38 are connected together at their inner ends by the aid of a flange 40 formed on one of the elements.

A tubular insert 41 projects into the larger element 38 through its outer opening, with its innermost end spaced from the inner end of the smaller pipe element 37. The insert 41 has substantial clearance with respect to the pipe element 38, and forms therewith an annular space 49.

A collar 42, carried by the insert 41, abuts the outer end of the element 38 and closes the outer end of the annular space 49. Bolts 43, extending through the collar 42, engage lugs 44 carried by and extending inwardly of the enlarged element 38 to hold the insert in place.

The outer end of the insert 41 fits Within an aperture 45 provided in the upper front panel 15 of the cabinet 10. A ring 46 secures a screen 47 in place about the outer end of the insert 41.

A stack or vertical ue pipe 48 within the boiler 19interconnects the horizontal ue pipe 36 and the re box 31. The upper end of the vertical flue pipe 48 communicates with the annular space 49 formed by the ue element 38 and the insert 41. The ue gases may pass from the re box 31 through the vertical flue pipe 48 into the annular space 49, about the edge of the inner end of the insert 41 and thence either through the insert 41 to the front of the cabinet or through the ue pipe element 37 to the vent pipe 33, in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described.

The extension 34 of the vent pipe 33 projects through the enlarged aperture 39 in the rear wall 13 of the cabinet and surrounds with substantial clearance the outer end of the vent pipe element 37. To provide a seal between the extension 34 and the flue pipe element 37, a collar 50 is provided. The collar is slidably carried on that portion of the vent pipe element 37 between the boiler 19 and the rear Wall 13 of the cabinet 10.

Pads 51 of Fiberglas material are placed` on the inner side of the collar 50. These Fiberglas pads, together with the Fiberglas insulation 21, serve as a means for resiliently urging the collar 50 outwardly along the ue pipe element 37. In the unassembled position of the heater shown in Fig. 5, the collar S0 engages about the edges of the aperture 39 in the rear wall 13 of the Cabinet 10.

As the heater is moved into position, the end edge of the vent pipe extension 34 engages the collar 50 and moves the collar 50 inwardly with respect. to the pipe 37 against the resilient force of the pads 51.

A tight coupling is effected between the extension 34 of the vent pipe 33 and the flue pipe element 37 by virtue of firm contact of the extension 34 with the collar S0 and a close t of the collar Si) on the ue pipe element 37. The collar 50 automatically effects a tight coupling, obviating manipulations at the rear of the cabinet for this purpose. Also, fittings between the cabinet 10 and the Wall 14 are obviated, thereby making it possible to place the heater directly against the wall 14.

The aperture 39 in the rear wall 13 of the cabinet 10 and the collar 50 may be of substantial size so that the extension 34 may be received therein despite substantial rnisalignment of the flue pipe element 37 with respect thereto. The extension 34, in turn, is of a size substantially greater than the flue pipe element 37 so that the end of the fine pipe element 37 may be received therein despite such substantial misalignment. A tight coupling is, nevertheless, effected since all that is necessary for this purpose is engagement of the end of the extension 34 with the collar 50. Substantial tolerance in the precise loca tion of the extension 34 is permitted, and it is unnecessary to exercise extreme care in locating the extension 34.

The horizontally disposed vent pipe 36, together with the insert 41, ensures against a downdraft in the vent pipe 33 adversely affecting combustion conditions in the re box 31. For normal operation, the vent pipe 33 induces a ow of the products of combustion from the tire box 31 therethrough. Such ow is indicated by the arrows 52 shown in full line in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the event of a downdraft, air passes from the vent 33 into the flue pipe element 37 and thence into the insert 41 to the front of the cabinet. Substantially the entire flow of air in this instance enters the insert 41 by virtue of the fact that the insert 41 is aligned with the element 37 and is at least as large as, or preferably slightly larger than, the flue pipe element 37. The ilow in this instance is in a direction corresponding to the arrows 53 shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

The products of combustion from the stack 48 in the event of a downdraft are drawn about the edge of the inner end of the extension 41 from the annular space 49 and thence into the insert 41 through the screen 47 to the front of the cabinet 10. In this manner, the fire box 31 and burner 32 are protected against adverse conditions. By virtue of this arrangement, it is unnecessary to attach any separate downdraft diverting device between the extension 34 and the ilue pipe element 37 exteriorly of the heater, that would otherwise preclude the cabinet 10 from being placed against the wall 14.

The lower front panel 16 is removably supported by the aid of a clip 54 carried by a bracket 55 secured to the upper panel 15. A series of iingers 56 near the lower portions of the front panel 16 engage upwardly extending flanges 57 formed as a part of the lower wall 17 of the cabinet. By removing the lower` front panel 16, access is provided to conventional controls 58 for the burner 32.

Since the conduits 48, 36, 34, 33 for conducting the products of combustion from the re box 31 are located substantially beneath the cabinet topy 11, and substantially surrounded by the boiler 19, the cabinet top 11 is maintained'cool without requiring special insulation.

Thus, in the form shown in Fig. 4, a cabinet top 59 is made of Wood, conveniently forming a carving biock. There is no danger of the block 59 warping.

The carving block 59 is supported in substantially the same manner as the sheet metal top 11 of the previous form. The rear portion of the block 59 rests upon the angle brace 70, ngers 71 engaging beneath the ange 6i. A dowel pin 63 enters the recess 74 in the frame element 75.

The inventor claims:

1. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; a combustion chamber in heat transfer relationship with said container; a first tubular member in the container having an end open at one side of the container and having an inner end extending to an intermediate point of the container; a second tubular member in the container extending from the other side of the container and of larger cross-sectional area than the inner end of the rst tubular member, said members being in substantial alignment and joined together to form an annular space; a third tubular member having an end open at the other side of the container and of substantially the same cross-section area as the inner end of the first member and in alignment therewith; the inner end of said third member approaching near the inner end of the first member; the second and third members forming an annular space between them; and flue means in the container extending upwardly from the chamber and conducting products of combustion from the chamber to the annular space for passage outwardly therefrom about the inner end of said third member, said annular space being otherwise closed.

2. In a fuel burning table top water heater: a housing; a boiler for water to be heated and supported in the housing; means forming a combustion chamber for the boiler; a first tubular Hue pipe extending transversely and entirely through the boiler and opening at opposite ends on opposite walls of the housing for the ow of gases therethrough, the water in the boiler heat insulating the housing top from hot iiue gases in said flue pipe; one end of the pipe being connectible to a vent structure; and a second ue pipe in the boiler between the chamber and the first flue pipe; the connection between the flue pipes being intermediate the ends of the transverse flue pipe, to form a passage for ue gases, as well as to complete a flue passage to the other end of said iirst iiue pipe in the event of a reverse flow in said rst ue pipe end.

3. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; a iiue pipe extending transversely and entirely through the container, and having an enlarged and a reduced section, the sections opening laterally of the container on opposite sides; a hollow open-ended member within the enlarged section and forming a space between the enlarged section and the member; the inner end of said hollow member having a cross-sectional area at least substantially of the same size as that of the reduced section of said ue pipe; said inner end of said hollow member being slightly spaced from the reduced section of said flue pipe, the outer end of said hollow member opening exteriorly of the container; and means within the container for establishing communication between the chamber and said space for passage of combustion products outwardly therefrom about the inner end of said hollow member, said space being otherwise closed.

4. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; a housing for the container; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; a ue pipe extending transversely of and through the container, and having an enlarged and a reduced section, the reduced section extending laterally of the container on one side thereof and at one'side of the housing, the enlarged section opening laterally of the container on the other side thereof; a hollow open-ended member projecting within the enlarged section, and forming a space between the enlarged section and the member; the inner end of said member being slightly spaced from the inner end of said reducedV section; the inner end of said hollow member having a cross-sectional area at least substantially of the same size as that of the reduced section of said flue pipe; the outer end of said member opening at that side of the housing opposite said one side; means closing the outer end ofsaid space; and flue means within the container for establishing communication between the chamber and said space.

Vv5. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be'heated; means forming a combustion chamber for 6 Y Y the container; a flue pipe extending transversely of and through the container, and having an enlarged and a reduced section, the sections opening laterally of the container on opposite sides; a hollow open-ended member' within the enlarged section and forming a space between the enlarged section and the member; the inner end of said member being slightly spaced vfrom and opposed to the inner end of said reduced section; the inner end of said hollow member having a cross-sectional area at least substantially the same size as that of the reduced section of said ilue pipe; and flue means within the container for' establishing communication between the chamber and said enlarged section for passage o f combustion products outwardly through said space about the inner end of said member, said space being otherwise closed.

6. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; a liue pipe extending transversely of and through the container, and having an enlarged and a reduced section, the sections opening laterally of the container on opposite sides; a hollow open-ended member within the enlarged section and forming a space between the enlarged section and the member; the inner end of said member being slightly spaced from, opposed to, and substantially aligned with the inner end of said reduced section, the inner end of said member having a crosssectional area greater than that of said reduced section; the outer end of the hollow member opening exteriorly of the container; and means within the container for establishing communication between the chamber and said space for passage of combustion products through said space and about the inner end of said member, said space being otherwise closed.

7. In a fuel burning heater cooperable with a vent pipe: a container for a medium to be heated; a housing for the container having a lateral opening; a flue pipe extending outwardly of the container, the outer end thereof being located at said lateral opening; the edges of said housing opening being spaced from the outer end of said flue pipe to permit the end of said vent pipe to move into telescoping relationship ,with said ilue pipe in the housing; a plate slidably mounted on the outer end of said flue pipe between the housing and the container and adapted to be engaged by said vent pipe; and resilient means urging the plate outwardly of the flue pipe end.

8. In a fuel burning heater cooperable with a vent pipe having a lateral opening: a container for a medium to be heated; a housing for the container having a lateral opening into which the vent pipe extends; a flue pipe extending outwardly of the container, the outer end thereof being located at said lateral opening; a plate slidably mounted on the outer end of said ue pipe between the housing and the container; said flue pipe being adapted to telescope into the vent pipe opening; and yielding insulation material between the housing and the container, a portion of said material extending between the plate and the container for resiliently urging the plate outwardly of the pipe end, so that the plate may engage the edge area of the vent pipe opening, to form a substantiall seal.

9. In a fuel burning heater cooperable with a vent pipe having a lateral opening: a container for a medium to be heated; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; a housing for the container having a rear wall provided with an aperture into which the vent pipe extends; a flue pipe extending laterally outwardly of the container and having a terminal portion located at the aperture; there being substantial peripheral clearance between the edges of ,the aperture and the pipe; said flue pipe being adapted to telescope into the vent pipe opening; an apertured plate slidably movable along the end of the pipe between the container and the rear wall and adapted to be engaged by said vent pipe so that the plate may engage the edge area of the vent pipe opening, to form a substantial seal; and resilient means urging the plate outwardly of the pipe end; the plate having means 7 engageable with the rear wall to limit outward movement of the plate.

10. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; a housing for the container having a rear wall provided with an aperture; a flue pipe extending outwardly of the container and having a terminal portion located at the aperture; there being substantial peripheral clearance between the edges of the aperture and the pipe; an apertured plate slidably movable along the end of the pipe between the container and the rear wall; and insulation material for the container, a portion of said material being located between the plate and the container, the material being resilient for yieldingly urging the plate outwardly of the pipe end; the plate having means engageable with the rear wall to limit outward movement of the plate.

11. In a fuel burning heater cooperable with a vent pipe accommodated in a wall of a structure, the vent pipe projecting through the wall; a cabinet having rear and front walls, there being apertures in the walls; a container in the cabinet in which a fluid medium may be heated; means forming a fuel chamber for the container; a passage forming member extending transversely of the container and having outer ends opening respectively at the housing apertures; the aperture in the rear wall having substantial peripheral clearance with respect to the corresponding one outer end of said passage forming member for entrance of said vent pipe; a downdraft preventing connection between the chamber and said passage forming member, an apertured sealing member slidably movable along said one outer end and engageable with the end of said vent pipe; and resilient means urging the sealing member outwardly of the said one outer end and into engagement with the end of said vent pipe, the sealing member being relatively movable inwardly of said one outer end upon movement of the heater against the structure wall; the sealing member having means engageable with the rear wall to limit relative outward movement of the sealing member when said heater is away from said structure wall.

12, In a water heater structure: a boiler; means forming a combustion chamber in heat transfer relation to the boiler; a fuel burner in the chamber; a first flue pipe member in the boiler and extending outwardly on one side thereof; a second ilue pipe member in theV boiler and extending outwardly on another side thereof; said ue pipe members having opposed and slightly spaced inner ends that are substantially of the same cross-sectional area; means forming a space about the spaced ends of said ue pipe members, the spacing between the ends forming an outlet from said space; and means within the boiler for conducting the products of combustion from the chamber to said space for passage of combustion products from the chamber through the space and past the spaced inner ends of said members, said space being otherwise closed.

13. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; a housing for the container, having a rear wall and a front wall, there being apertures in the walls; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; means forming a passage extending transversely of and through the container and having one end opening at the aperture in the rear wall of the housing for cooperation with a vent pipe, and having its other end opening at the aperture in the front wall of the housing to form a downdraft outlet; there being substantial peripheral clearance between the rear wall aperture and said one end of said passage forming means; means forming a connection between the chamber and the passage forming means within the container and at a place located between the ends of said passage forming means and having provisions for diverting downdraft to said downdratt outlet; an apertured plate slidably movable along said one end of said passage forming means and located between the container and the rear wall and resilient means urging the plate outwardly of the said one passage forming means; the plate having means engageable with the rear wall to limit relative outward movement of the plate, whereby a Vent pipe may be received through said aperture in the rear wall of the housing in telescoping relation with said one end of said passage forming means and in abutting relation to said apertured plate.

14. In a fuel burning heater: a container for a medium to be heated; a housing for the container, having a rear wall and a front wall, there being apertures in the walls; means forming a combustion chamber for the container; means forming a passage extending transversely of the container and having one end opening at the aperture in the rear wall of the housing for cooperation with a vent pipe, and having its other end opening at the aperture in the front wall of the housing to form a downdraft outlet; there being substantial peripheral clearance between the rear wall aperture and said one end of said passage forming means; means forming a connection between the chamber and the passage forming means within the container and at a place located between the ends of said passage forming means and having provisions for diverting downdraft to said downdraft outlet; an apertured plate slidably movable along said one end of said passage forming means and located between the container and the rear wall; and insulation material for the container, a portion of said material being located between the plate and the container, the material being resilient for yieldingly urging the plate outwardly of the said one end, the plate having means engageable with the rear wall to limit relative outward movement of the plate.

15. In a heater structure: an enclosure for a medium to be heated; means forming a combustion chamber in heat transfer relation to the enclosure; a fuel burner in the chamber; means forming a transverse passage above the chamber and through the enclosure, said passage having a larger cross-sectional area leading to one side of the enclosure than the area leading to the opposite side; a tubular insert in the larger portion of the passage and peripherallyspaced from the wall thereof to form a substantiallyV annular space therewith, said insert having its inner end slightly spaced from the place where the smaller area begins, to permit communication between one end of the annular space and the portion of smaller area and the interior of said insert, the other end of the annular space being closed; the other end of said insert being in communication with the atmosphere at said one side of the enclosure, the interior of said insert having a crosssectional area at least substantially the same size as that of the smaller area of said passage; the passage leading to said opposite side of the enclosure being adapted to be connected to a vent; and means for leading the products of combustion from the chamber to the annular space surrounding the insert.

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